WACO, Texas – Five Southern Conference football student-athletes earned All-America honors from the American Football Coaches Association, which announced is 2018 FCS team Friday.
Four SoCon student-athletes earned first-team honors. Samford quarterback Devlin Hodges and wide receiver Kelvin McKnight were joined on offense by ETSU offensive lineman Matt Pyke, while Chattanooga defensive lineman Isaiah Mack also earned first-team distinction.
ETSU defensive lineman Nasir Player earned second-team honors.
This is the fifth All-America honor so far for both Hodges and McKnight.
Hodges, who won his third straight SoCon Offensive Player of the Year award this season, set a school record for single-season passing yards, throwing for 4,283 yards this season. He also became the all-time leader in career passing yards in FCS history. His 14,584 career passing yards broke the old FCS national record of 14,496, set by Steve McNair at Alcorn State from 1991-94. Hodges had six games this season in which he threw for at least 400 yards.
McKnight ends his career as Samford’s all-time leader in career receiving yards (4,144), receptions (313) and touchdown receptions (32). This season, McKnight caught 100 passes for 1,453 yards and nine touchdowns. He had at least 100 receiving yards in 10 of Samford’s 11 games this season.
Pyke, who picked up his fourth All-American honor this postseason, played in 789 of the 795 possible snaps this season for the Bucs. The Clinton, Tennessee, native received the Jacobs Blocking Award, which is given to the top offensive lineman in the Southern Conference, while also earning first-team All-SoCon honors. Pyke started all 45 games over his playing career, while his blocking this season led the Blue and Gold turn in nine 100-yard rushing games and four games of over 200 yards.
A native of Tunnel Hill, Georgia, Mack was a finalist for the 2018 Buck Buchanan Award, posting 8.5 sacks, 11.5 TFLs and two forced fumbles on the year. His 8.5 sacks on the year are second in the Southern Conference and No. 19 in the FCS. He has 21.0 career sacks, which is fourth-place all-time at UTC behind Davis Tull (37.0 - 2011-14), Keionta Davis (31.0 - 2013-16) and Joshua Williams (23.5 - 2009-12). His 41.0 career TFLs are third all-time at UTC, trailing Tull (60.0) and Davis (43.0). He was the SoCon Defensive Player of the Year. This All-America honor is his fifth of this postseason.
Player collected his second All-American honor this season (STATS FCS) and was also a finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award. The Columbia, South Carolina, native totaled 43 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, six sacks, 11 quarterback hurries and three forced fumbles in 11 starts for the Bucs. The first-team All-SoCon selection finished third in the conference in forced fumbles for per game (0.27), tied for fourth in sacks per game (0.55) and tied for sixth in tackles for loss per game (1.0). Player also earned SoCon Defensive Player of the Week following 6-tackle, 3-sack and 2-forced fumble game in the win over Chattanooga on Sept. 29.
For the AFCA's full release, click here.